Xcalak, Costa Maya, México

March 2006

Where in the world is Xcalak?

If you look at the Yucatan Peninsula and follow it down the coast to Belize, you will discover a small town not far from the border.  In fact a small channel in the mangroves is all that separates the two countries.  Bob and Terry Sousa and Kathy and I made the trip down in March.  We flew into Cancun and spent the night at a friend’s hotel on the strip.  Cancun is still devastated from the hurricane that hit last year.  Some workers told us that it would be years before the city is up and running again.  Looking around I could certainly believe what he they told us.  More than half of the hotels were severely damaged.

The next day we started our journey to Xcalak in our rental car.  It was a beautiful drive down the coast one that I have made many times in the past to Tulum but no further.  I was pulled over speeding on the super highway; paid the fine and we were on our way.  With the gals continually watching the speed odometer and kept a close watch out for the speed limit the rest of the trip was uneventful as far as the police was concerned.  It was about a 6 hour drive down and our host had reminded us to stock up at the grocery store before we came to Xcalak because supplies were very limited.

Xcalak is a small wind blown pueblo with no paved streets and about 300 residents.  The people in town are very friendly and always willing to assist you in any way.  Since I put the trip together in a very short time and not knowing anything about the area, we stayed a Casa Carolina.  Owned and operated by two retired Americans, Bob and Caroline.  Casa Carolina was marvelous; a well constructed two story building with four rooms, quiet location, beautiful white sand beach, good dock with kayaks.  This was to be a relaxing vacation for the gals but Bob and I wanted to do some fishing in the area.  We talked to our host about getting a guide for a few days and he said that he would see what he could do. 

The hurricane that hit Cancun also caused some damage to the beaches in Xcalak.  The high water and constantly pounding of surf put a lot of mud in the once sand and coral area just off the beach.  Although there were still an occasional permit and bonefish working the beach, I’m sure that it is not what is once was. 

The next morning Bob and I decided to get up early and drive down the coast to see if we could find a good permit and bonefish flat.  About 7 km down the road we turned off the beach road and found a good rocky point with a protected flat in small bay.  With fly rods in hand we walked to the point, I saw some disturbance just of the rocks and made a cast in the general direction.  After a few strips, I was hooked up on a very good bonefish.  Bob made a few casts in the area and he too was hooked up.  After a few more hook ups the school moved off of the point.  We started walking the flat and found a few tailing bonefish but no permit.  When we started to get into the mud we walked back to the point to see if the school of bonefish had come back.  Sure enough they were back and we had a few more hook ups before it was time to meet the gals for lunch.  When we returned Bob, our host, informed us that he had made arrangements to fish with a guide the next day. 

Our guide, Chaco and his assistant Jose, picked us up at the dock at 8:00 am.  He was a young man who had been guiding the area for the past six years.  Within fifteen minutes we were into some of the finest bonefishing that I have ever seen.  Lots of good sized bonefish cruising the mangrove flats.  Bob was first on the deck and after a few casts caught his first bonefish of the day.  We rotated and I had the same success, landing two bonefish in as many casts.  Now it was Bob’s turn again.  Chaco heard something and turned around and we discovered a school of permit working some deeper water.  He quickly moved the boat and I grabbed my permit rod.  When we got into casting range, I fired a cast short of the school.  The water depth was probably about 5 feet so it took time for the crab to settle to the bottom, before it could I felt a grab.  As always line control is the key to success and with the falling crab, I’m sure that he picked up the fly as it was falling but I didn’t realize it until it was too late.  The school moved into deeper water where we could not find them again.  Back to bonefishing.  After lunch we walked the flats next to the mangroves.  This area has a lot of ankle deep mud.  It’s certainly not a pleasure to wade but it definitely has its rewards.  We managed to land about 10 bonefish apiece for the day not bad considering all of the missed opportunities.  Before we departed we made a date for another day with Chaco.

We awoke to a very strong wind the next day and were wondering if we would even make it out fishing that day.  Chaco drove over to see if we still wanted to go.  We decided to go out anyway knowing that somewhere we could get out of the wind.  I have to say that it was a good decision.  The mangrove cover does break down the wind but we were forced to wade most lot of the flats.  Fishing from the boat and getting a good cast off was very difficult.  We had the same success as the other day.  Lots of good sized bonefish hooked and landed.

We didn’t get the opportunity to try for tarpon and didn’t really focus on chasing permit since the weather was not cooperating.  I was definitely encouraged talking to some of other anglers; they caught tarpon and permit and some had two of the three fish needed to make a grand slam on some days.

Recommendation:

For those of you who are looking for that new bonefish destination with the opportunity of catching tarpon and permit, then you seriously need to consider Xcalak.  It’s a long way down there but well worth the experience.  I’ll be working with a very nice lodges in Xcalak that has a complete fly fishing package that includes transportation from Cancun, lodging, all meals, and guide service at a very reasonable price.